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EWIIN provides mentorship and networking opportunities to women in the Insurance Industry.

Our Vision

  • Build an international network of BLACK WOMEN in insurance to optimize their potential, give back and positively impact the world
  • Empower, inspire and advocate for the visibility of BLACK WOMEN in insurance and build the youth through education, information, mentorship, coaching, sponsorship, networking and advocacy.
  • Create a cadre of professional BLACK WOMEN who through mentorship, coaching, advocacy, networking and sponsorship, are focused on elevating and transforming the youth for the next generation of the insurance industry
  • To transform the insurance industry by inspiring and empowering BLACK PROFESSIONAL WOMEN throughout the world to elevate and increase visibility by developing their skillset and knowledge and to give back to the youth.

How EWIIN Started

Ebony Women International Insurance Network (EWIIN) was born in 2009 out of curiosity by Shirley Chisholm who questioned the lack of visibility of other Black Women at industry events and in Boardrooms in senior positions. Shirley reached out to Judith Mitchell who at the time was a Manager at an insurance company and they both collaborated on strategies to identify and address the hurdles impacting the advancement of Black Women in the insurance industry.

Shirley and Judith then began to host meetings which provided a safe space/ forum for Black women in insurance to meet, network and discuss strategies for professional advancement in Canada. Guest Speakers to the meetings focused on developmental support for the attendees including personal branding and how to recognize and manage micro-aggression in the workplace amongst other hot topics.

These meetings served as mentoring sessions outside of the formal workplace of the members and also provided great networking sessions. The Network grew from 4 to 70 persons and the impact was evident by the increased professional advancement of many Black professional women who were previously stagnant in their roles.

In 2016 the activities of the group were put on temporary hold as Shirley had to step away to manage personal family challenges.

Fueled by her own challenges in the workplace in the last quarter of 2019 and the shared experiences of others, the need to re-establish heightened and the non-for-profit entity was formally registered in 2020 as the first organization catering to the professional needs of Black Women in the Canadian insurance industry.

EWIIN was re-launched in December 2020 and received overwhelming support given the need in the current environment.

Our Services

Coaching

Career development advice for entry to and advancement in the insurance industry

Mentorship

guidance to resourcing, support and assistance to strategically position for advancement in the industry .

Empowerment

collaborative sharing, strategic proposals, advice and support from experienced members internal and external.

Advocacy

promoting awareness to the benefits of hiring BLACK WOMEN and youth internship opportunities in the industry.

Networking

Provide and promote networking opportunities with mentors, peers and allies in the insurance industry

Our Testimonials

Joining and becoming a part of EWIN has been an integral part of my career in insurance. The group has provided an avenue and forum for women of colour to network and have productive discussions, regarding opportunities and experiences with in the insurance industry. In addition, it offers access to mentorship and guidance to assist with career navigation and development. It is a positive example of women working together, to build a concrete foundation, that forges an environment of empowerment and success. It is important for people of colour to know, that they have an organization readily available to support their needs and concerns..
Lisa
I joined EWIN over 10 years ago. At that time in my career I felt as if I was going nowhere and would always be an assistant. It was here I met Delphine Maidow and became good friends. This nonprofit organization reminded me of who I am as a Black woman and the value that I bring and can continue to bring to the insurance industry. Thank you EWIN.
Shirlette
"EWIIN was the first association I joined after graduation and it helped shape the trajectory of my career. For me, seeing people who looked like me reach the pinnacle of their career in an environment where they were in the minority was very important to my perception about a career in financial services. I appreciated the connections I made with the team and the mentoring sessions were rewarding. I was able to connect with a mentor who was kind and willing to share her experiences and career path with me. Her support was invaluable and provided me with access to someone outside of my organization with the skills and knowledge to help me develop and to think about things in a different way."
Jen
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Meet the Founders and Mentors

Shirley Chisholm

Judith Mitchell

Andrea Isaacs-Scarlett

Ingrid Robinson

Lisa Wolfe

Melrose Parks

Jen MacBruce

Our Services

Coaching

Mentorship

Empowerment

Advocacy

Sponsorship

Networking

Our Latest Blogs
Event

Event: Women in Insurance Canada

Here at EWIIN, we know the value of keeping insurance professionals updated on the latest sector developments – now more than ever. That’s why we’ve partnered with Insurance Business to bring you Women

Read More »
May 24, 2021 1 Comment
Job Vacancies

Job Vacancies

EMPOWERING INSURANCE CAREERS Connecting you to Career Opportunities Do you have a gift for knowing what other people need? Are you at your very best when

Read More »
February 11, 2021 No Comments
Fashion

Le Mois de l’amour

We’ve lived 31+ days into the year 2021 A.D. and landed in Black History month in Le Mois de l’amour. the month of Love aka

Read More »
February 10, 2021 No Comments

Upcoming Event

Conversation with Candies Kotchapaw

Wednesday, May 21, 2025 @ 7:00 pm

Register Here
Black Women Mentoring, Coaching, Networking and Empowering Black Women in Insurance.
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© 2022 All Rights Reserved Ebony Women International Insurance Network

Contact Us

Feel free to contact us if you have a question. We will respond within 24 hours.

Shirley Chisholm​

Shirley Chisholm is Senior Vice President with an international Insurance Brokerage, with responsibilities for Client Management in the Financial Services Practice. 

With over thirty years of experience in the Insurance Industry internationally, Shirley co-founded Ebony Women International Insurance Network in 2009 to support Black Women and Youth in finding successful careers in the Insurance Industry.    

She is a Fellow Chartered Insurance Professional (FCIP), a Certified Risk Manager (CRM),  holds a Business Management Certificate (Schulich School of Business), a Court and Tribunal Administration Diploma (Seneca College) and Business Administration Certificate (UWI).

Shirley volunteers as Career Ambassador with the Insurance Institute of Ontario and a Judge with DECA Regional and National competitions. She is a past president of the Gundy Gabbers Toastmaster Club (now defunct), served as Parliamentarian for Urban Financial Services – Toronto Chapter (now CAUFP). 

Shirley received the National Role Model awards from the Diversity Advancement Network in 2016 and recognized by Business Insurance as 2020 Top 100 Global Insurance Broker. 

Judith Mitchell

Judith Mitchell – Retired Co-founder Enjoying family, friends and traveling, after working for over 40 years as an insurance broker and underwriter.

Andrea Isaacs-Scarlett

Andrea Isaacs-Scarlett is AVP and Account Manager in the Dealership and Leasing team at HKMB HUB International. She manages and mentors the support staff and provide client advisory services to a portfolio of dealership clients. She has streamlined the the department’s internal communication as well as program documentation and documented all processes and protocols and grown the portfolio she manages.

Andrea joined HUB International HKMB Ltd. in 2017 as an Account Manager and was later asked to manage the support team. She believes that communication, commitment and collaboration are essential elements of building a successful team and servicing a portfolio of clients.

Prior to HUB, Andrea worked at Marsh Canada progressing from Client Representative to VP, Customer Service Manager where she managed the broker distribution channel and carried out a number of operations and compliance functions.

She has also held roles of Business Development and Marketing Manager at Scotia Jamaica General Insurance Brokers and Senior Broker at Allied Insurance Brokers in Jamaica where she started her career in General Insurance.

Andrea holds a Bachelor of Business Administration, from the University of Technology, CIP and is licensed in a number of Canadian provinces including Ontario.

She serves as a Director on the EWIIN Board.

Ingrid Robinson

Ingrid Robinson is the Chief Risk Officer and Assistant Deputy Minister for the Treasury Board Secretariat of Ontario. In this role Ingrid is charged with providing corporate and strategic leadership to implement modernized risk management programs for Ontario’s ministries.

Former roles held include Thought Leadership Executive for the Canadian Public Accountability Board (Canada’s regulator for public company auditors); Principal & Managing Director, Risk Management for Brookfield Global Integrated Solutions; and Regional Risk, Internal Audit & Corporate Governance Practice Leader at MNP LLP. In addition, she has held increasingly senior advisory and external audit roles with Big Four professional services firms in Canada and the US.
Ingrid is an Adjunct Professor of Enterprise Risk Management at York University; Advisory Board member of the University of Toronto’s Professional Accounting Centre; and contributing author to the internationally published second edition of the Handbook of Board Governance.

Ingrid holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Masters of Financial Accountability degrees and CPA, CIA and CRMA designations. Ingrid is also a graduate of the Harvard Business School Corporate Risk Leadership and the Institute of Corporate Directors Director Education Executive programs.

Lisa Wolfe

My inspiration to join the insurance industry was driven by the learning opportunities and new challenges it presented as a career opportunity. Over the past few years, I have had the opportunity to serve in various roles within the insurance industry. I began my career in personal lines with a direct writer Meloche Monnex and moved into commercial insurance as an associate underwriter at Chubb Insurance. From there I progressed through various roles and positions such as Senior Underwriter at GCAN, to a business development specialist and Underwriting Manager at CNA. Later I moved into AVP, property management role at Zurich Canada, which led me to my current role at QBE, where I am responsible for the growth and profitability of a national property portfolio. Each one of my roles in insurance, has allowed me to acquire a unique set of skills, which has allowed for my career progression and development. In addition, it has provided an expansion of my network and circle of influence.

I enjoy what I do, because it affords the opportunity to empower others by utilizing experience and skill to coach and mentor. Coaching, mentoring and leadership are the key values of any strong organization.

Melrose Parks

With over 25 years of experience in the Insurance Industry, Melrose Parks has always had the passion for coaching and developing others.  In her most recent role as a Commercial Property Supervisor (P&) she managed a team of up to 14 direct reports.  Her passion is to coach, develop and mentor new leaders for the future.

She is a Fellow Chartered Insurance Professional (FCIP), a Certified Risk Manager (CRM), and holds a Business Management Certificate (University of Toronto).

Melrose currently volunteers as a big sister with The Big Brother Big Sister of Canada (BBBST) and is very keen on giving back to the community.

She was a past member of The Toronto Insurance Women Association (TIWA).

Jen MacBruce

Jen works in financial services with over 15 years in asset management, investment analysis, product development and wealth management. She currently serves as Head of Investment Analysis Canada at a leading Global Asset Management firm where she drives research, evaluating an overall investment strategy and management sustainability. Her expertise includes aligning innovation & new product investment decisions with corporate strategic growth goals and implementing innovation solutions that is cost efficient and maximises profit.

Jen has a Bachelors and a Masters from the University of Toronto.